Love, find your mark! - A Cupid Guide to all Modes (Season 6)

Purchase Order

Final build example (more abilities)
Notes This build is a standard build that I made thinking in how Cupid was made to be played in this season, with BURST DAMAGE. Skills online often to burst enemies is the objective of this build everything without lose attack speed keeping him a carry ADC.

Alternative crit build example
Notes The traditional hunter crit build. I personally hate this build and I don't like crits on Cupid, but if you want a high sustian cupid almost totally dependent of his basic attacks, this build is what you are looking for.

Start
Notes Standard Start for conquest as an ADC. Baron's Brew is a nice option instead of mana potions, letting you be much more aggressive due the sustain (if available).

An alternative start can be Hunter's Blessing + Morningstar + Potions, bring to you a even stronger mid game at the cost of delay it and make your early game more weak. This start is recommended in the more ability based build.

Charged Morningstar

Healing Potion

Healing Potion

Healing Potion

Healing Potion

Mana Potion

Mana Potion

Bridge Items
Notes Optional Items to help you be a threat sooner with low cost. Choose one. (See more in builds section)

Asi

Ichaival

Crit items
Notes Critical items that work well on Cupid. Choose two (max 3) items if you want to do crits. (See more in builds section)

Rage

Deathbringer

Poisoned Star

Wind Demon

High viable items
Notes Items that works pretty well on him on almost any condition. Sell your Hunter's Blessing and your bridge item (if you did) to buy more items.(See more in builds section)

Bloodforge

Jotunn's Wrath

The Crusher

Qin's Sais

The Executioner

Heartseeker

Warrior Tabi

Ninja Tabi

Transcendence

Situational Items
Notes Items with medium viability on him. Items to consider to do on Cupid in some occasional situations. See more in build section.

Ne Zha | Major

Ratatoskr | Major

Too much fast, burst damage on early/mid game and can avoid your ulti with his ulti. Plus he can get you in a inconvenient moment and kill you before you even can do anything. Also if he makes the right build he will be tank late game but will still doing some damage.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 66
[display_name] => Ratatoskr
[url] => ratatoskr
)
[scoreVal] => 2
[notes] => Too much fast, burst damage on early/mid game and can avoid your ulti with his ulti. Plus he can get you in a inconvenient moment and kill you before you even can do anything. Also if he makes the right build he will be tank late game but will still doing some damage.
)
1

Thanatos | Major

Due his skill Scent of Death makes him immune to slow, your skills are useless against him. But you can kill him using your Heart Bomb when he uses his ultimate to escape.

Baron Samedi | Even

Really boring to fight against. His SNAAAAKKEEE will force your Flutter 99% of the times, his healing is something really annoying to fight against. Also don't forget he reduces the damage and attack speed on his 1. His ulti is a invite to death and sometimes Flutter won't be enough to get out of his ulti. Aegis are essential here followed by Beads.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 96
[display_name] => Baron Samedi
[url] => baron-samedi
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => Really boring to fight against. His SNAAAAKKEEE will force your [[flutter]] 99% of the times, his healing is something really annoying to fight against. Also don't forget he reduces the damage and attack speed on his 1. His ulti is a invite to death and sometimes [[flutter]] won't be enough to get out of his ulti. Aegis are essential here followed by Beads.
)
1

Cernunnos | Even

Due his kit be somehow strong against you in early/mid game, you will suffer until you combo your ulti and hb on him.

Hachiman | Even

His pokes are hard to avoid and his has high range with his 1, plus, he can ulti to get out of your ulti.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 91
[display_name] => Hachiman
[url] => hachiman
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => His pokes are hard to avoid and his has high range with his 1, plus, he can ulti to get out of your ulti.
)
1

Hou Yi | Even

His stun can really open a door to hurt you, be careful with his mark. His ultimate will also be a problem if you don't have your Flutter online.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 62
[display_name] => Hou Yi
[url] => hou-yi
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => His stun can really open a door to hurt you, be careful with his mark. His ultimate will also be a problem if you don't have your [[flutter]] online.
)
1

Jing Wei | Even

Her early game is bad just like yours but she has crits in kit what can really hurts and also can ulti to get out of your ulti. Plus, late game you can't fight against her directly.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 75
[display_name] => Jing Wei
[url] => jing-wei
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => Her early game is bad just like yours but she has crits in kit what can really hurts and also can ulti to get out of your ulti. Plus, late game you can't fight against her directly.
)
1

Khepri | Even

Due his high control may he be a little annoying to you and open a lot of opportunities to his teammates kill you, so pay attention!

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 68
[display_name] => Khepri
[url] => khepri
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => Due his high control may he be a little annoying to you and open a lot of opportunities to his teammates kill you, so pay attention!
)
1

Kumbhakarna | Even

CCs everywhere. Beads are a must item here. You can counter his root with Flutter.

Medusa | Even

Her early is strong so she can be a really tough in the beginning of the match but late game you both very strong capable to kill the enemy with 1 combo.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 64
[display_name] => Medusa
[url] => medusa
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => Her early is strong so she can be a really tough in the beginning of the match but late game you both very strong capable to kill the enemy with 1 combo.
)
1

Neith | Even

You can run from her root with Flutter and avoid her ultimate with an aegis or asking to a teammate stay in front of you. Her 2 can be very annoying with the attack speed reduction. You can cancel her escape (her 3rd skill) using Fields Of Love and/or can use Flutter to chase her.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 30
[display_name] => Neith
[url] => neith
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => You can run from her root with [[flutter]] and avoid her ultimate with an aegis or asking to a teammate stay in front of you. Her 2 can be very annoying with the attack speed reduction. You can cancel her escape (her 3rd skill) using [[fields of love]] and/or can use [[flutter]] to chase her.
)
1

Pele | Even

If she sticks on you, you are probably dead early game, and late game, check if her ulti is gone before try to do something. Now she is more balanced and won't be so problematic.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 97
[display_name] => Pele
[url] => pele
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => If she sticks on you, you are probably dead early game, and late game, check if her ulti is gone before try to do something. Now she is more balanced and won't be so problematic.
)
1

Rama | Even

Rama has a good wave clear and a good attack speed, so as long as you keep distance of him you can play very well. Be careful with his ultimate, it has a very good range and can easily kill you if you run away with low health

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 55
[display_name] => Rama
[url] => rama
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => Rama has a good wave clear and a good attack speed, so as long as you keep distance of him you can play very well. Be careful with his ultimate, it has a very good range and can easily kill you if you run away with low health
)
1

Skadi | Even

2 vs 1 (or 3 vs 2 counting the supports). You clearly are a disadvantage and her damage early game are considerable. Plus her 3rd skill can put you in seriously problems even that you can use Flutter to try run away. Be careful early and mid game, but late game it's a easy target.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 74
[display_name] => Skadi
[url] => skadi
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => 2 vs 1 (or 3 vs 2 counting the supports). You clearly are a disadvantage and her damage early game are considerable. Plus her 3rd skill can put you in seriously problems even that you can use [[flutter]] to try run away. Be careful early and mid game, but late game it's a easy target.
)
1

Ullr | Even

He hits his stun and or you die or lose half of your life. The best way to counter an Ullr is to heal yourself with Share The Love every time he hits you, and also poking him with Heart Bomb

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 51
[display_name] => Ullr
[url] => ullr
)
[scoreVal] => 3
[notes] => He hits his stun and or you die or lose half of your life. The best way to counter an [[ullr]] is to heal yourself with [[share the love]] every time he hits you, and also poking him with [[heart bomb]]
)
1

He Bo | Maximum

He Bo is stupid broken so, if he is a thread even to tanks think about a little chubby boy that will die with 2 buttons, do I need to say more?.

Chiron | Minor

Fafnir | Minor

Although the damage is ok, he isn't a big problem to you. You can keep yourself safe from him with Flutter and his cc are just ok, can be annoying, but won't put you in some problems

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 77
[display_name] => Fafnir
[url] => fafnir
)
[scoreVal] => 4
[notes] => Although the damage is ok, he isn't a big problem to you. You can keep yourself safe from him with [[flutter]] and his cc are just ok, can be annoying, but won't put you in some problems
)
1

Izanami | Minor

Clear wave too fast, be careful with her pokes. You can cancel her dash with your ulti and your burst can easily destroy her.

Terra | Minor

Annoying with her root, but you can get out of it just by dashing away and her stun you can avoid most of the times. Just be careful with her ultimate, can really damage you.

Array
(
[god] => Array
(
[god_id] => 79
[display_name] => Terra
[url] => terra
)
[scoreVal] => 4
[notes] => Annoying with her root, but you can get out of it just by dashing away and her stun you can avoid most of the times. Just be careful with her ultimate, can really damage you.
)
1

Apollo | Tiny

His kit is weak against you and your Heart Bomb CAN counter her ultimate when used to escape, just like Thanatos

Purchase Order

Final Build Example
Notes Same build from Conquest ADC, just because it works very good and since this modes the fountain is not that far, lifesteal became less necessary. Also here Elixir of Speed is not available so DON'T REMOVE YOUR BOOTS!!!

Transcendence

Ninja Tabi

Jotunn's Wrath

Heartseeker

The Executioner

Qin's Sais

Start
Notes This start is recommended to Arena or Joust, where you can't farm well, so just rush Transcendence.

Charged Morningstar

Alternative Start
Notes Some specific match-ups you will need an stronger early game/need your boots asap, so this is your start. Go finish your boot first then you buy Transcendence. Get some Healing Potions and Mana Potions. If available, instead mana and healing get Baron's Brew.

Attacker's Blessing

Morningstar

High viable Items
Notes Items to you choose if you don't wanna crits.

Bloodforge

Jotunn's Wrath

Heartseeker

Qin's Sais

The Crusher

The Executioner

Ninja Tabi

Warrior Tabi

Transcendence

Crits
Notes Choose two crits if you wanna crits (but I personally strong recommend a burst build without crits).

Deathbringer

Rage

Wind Demon

Poisoned Star

Situational Items
Notes Items to you consider depending of which enemy you are fighting against.

Hydra's Lament

Toxic Blade

Brawler's Beat Stick

Devourer's Gauntlet

Titan's Bane

Atalanta's Bow

Mantle of Discord

Breastplate of Valor

Genji's Guard

Magi's Cloak

Cupid's Skill Order

Heart Bomb

1X

146710

Share The Love

2A

214161819

Flutter

3B

38111215

Fields Of Love

4Y

59131720

Purchase Order

Final Build Example
Notes Standard final build to Assault without critics.

Jotunn's Wrath

Ninja Tabi

Heartseeker

The Executioner

Qin's Sais

Bloodforge

Start
Notes THE MOST AWESOME START TO ASSAULT YOU CAN DO! (See section builds to understand why).

Jotunn's Wrath

Boots

Healing Potion

Healing Potion

Healing Potion

Meditation Cloak

Core items
Notes Items that is not recommended you change it.

Jotunn's Wrath

Ninja Tabi

Heartseeker

High viable items
Notes Your next items after Core Items, choose two and wisely.

The Executioner

Qin's Sais

The Crusher

Bloodforge

Situational Items
Notes Items to considerate depending of which enemy you are fighting against.

Brawler's Beat Stick

Hydra's Lament

Titan's Bane

Toxic Blade

Winged Blade

Witchblade

Soul Eater

Breastplate of Valor

Genji's Guard

Mantle of Discord

Magi's Cloak

Cupid's Skill Order

Heart Bomb

1X

28111215

Share The Love

2A

146710

Flutter

3B

314161819

Fields Of Love

4Y

59131720

Purchase Order

If against physical
Notes Standard build against physical enemies. You can do the defensive item later if you feel you don't need it (if you are ahead).

Transcendence

Ninja Tabi

Breastplate of Valor

The Crusher

The Executioner

Qin's Sais

If against magical
Notes Standard build against magical enemies. You can do the defensive item later if you feel you don't need it (if you are ahead).

Transcendence

Ninja Tabi

Genji's Guard

The Crusher

The Executioner

Qin's Sais

Damage items to consider
Notes Situational items to help you in some specific situations.

Toxic Blade

Hydra's Lament

Devourer's Gauntlet

Asi

Bloodforge

Jotunn's Wrath

Brawler's Beat Stick

Odysseus' Bow

Defensive items to consider
Notes Defensive items to help you against specific enemies. Pestilence is a must item if against healer/ridiculous lifesteal and he is magical.

Magi's Cloak

Hide of the Nemean Lion

Pestilence

Bulwark of Hope

Introduction

Hi everyone, my name is x MysTeRioN z. I play this game on Xbox one.
I started playing Smite with Cupid and since this I haven't stopped.
I'm here to help you play with this little cute guy that can be very annoying and a really demon for the enemy team if used in the right way.

Art by rinlenneko via DeviantArt

"Have you ever been so in love that you feel like your heart will explode?
...Do you wanna be?" - CupidBest phrase in the entire game hahaha

Recently I have heard this God is the Teemo of Smite (Teemo is a character from League of Legens that is cute, small, annoying, very good and is only played by people that don't have souls). I don't agree with that, Cupid is cute, small, can be annoying but he is only Love <3. People that don't have soul (and brain) play as He Bo :v (I'm just kidding). Anyway, let's go to what matters.

I'm open to suggestions to make this guide even better, so don't forget to like this guide (if you liked) and tell me what I should improve, what I should change and if this guide was helpful for you.

Pros

Good individual damage
The combo Heart Bomb and Fields Of Love provides ridiculous damage against a single target and plus you have your basic attacks

Good cooldowns
They aren't low but aren't too high for what the skills offer

Good chaser
Can kill easily someone trying to escape since he have a skill that do a consider dash and put, literally, a bomb that can't be remove on the target ( Heart Bomb) and it can stun the target to finish him if he didn't die.

Very good teamwork
If you aren't the killing machine you are the assist machine providing A LOT OF kills to your team which is also good (except for your ego).

Permanent Attack speed buff
Your 3rd skill Flutter gives you a permanent attack speed buff even when you don't use it. Just upgrade the skill and gain attack speed.

High sustain in battle
(With some lifesteal, the skill Share The Love, a decent dash and some "play safe", only a really good gank or engage with more than 1 person can kill you and remember you can counter ganks with wards and the most part of enemy engages are predictable)

A big trouble if use in the right way
(People usually underestimate Cupid's power, thinking he is only a farm. But the point is: you can reach almost than 350 basic attack damage (plus the crits if you did), can fire 2 or more arrows per sec putting a bomb that can't be removed and slows the enemy, also you can heal yourself from part of the damage you take and if the enemy tries to escape alive you can do dash on him and fire a large radius field that slows him and he can't use any escape while in it stopping him when explode. For any other character that isn't a full protected God, this is more than enough to kill him easily.)

Heals the team and himself
(It can be somehow helpful to the team, but is not that things, but for you, it is VERY HELPFUL 'cause since you play safe, you don't take a lot of damage and the damage you take can be easily restored with it. If you do max cooldown (40%), you can regenerate 600 health (200 per heart) every 8 secs and you have 1885 health at maximum level, so almost the 1/3 of all your health can be regenerated.)

Has a Escape
(You have a quick dash that travel a nice distance and leave a trail to allies move faster too)

A flexible God
( Cupid is flexible meaning you can fit him in almost ANY TEAM COMPOSITION. Due ALL HIS SKILLS provide some kind of "Buffs" to the team/"debuffs" to enemies, such as stun, slow, cripple, heal and movement speed, he can combo with almost every character in the game letting you do AWESOME combos.)

Very cute and lovely
(The cutest voice lines and a such adorable character. Also gives you love advices: "Love is a Battlefield")

The Cutest Cards in the game
(His cards are the cutest in the entire game, there's no way to don't think it!)

examples

default skin

What a beautiful card, don't? And it's only the Default skin!

Forest Nymph (default recolor)

Look these eyes!

Loverboy (Recolor with special effects)

One of the best cards, I can feel the love in the air looking at this!

Lil' Devil

This is so cute! I think is the one that better represents Cupid (he is a little demon if played right)

Bizzy B

Look to this bee!

Head Over Heels

The big head is not beautiful in the skin, but the card is!

Golden/Legendary/Diamond

One of the best Golden/Legendary/Diamond cards, also the skins are as cute as the card!

Guttersniper

What a cute bandit!!

Cons

Very squishy
(Dies very fast to almost everyone in the game and absolutely, any debuff can be the sentence to death to him, such a simple 1s stun or some crowd control such as 20% slow. That's the reason you should play safe)

Your heal is not powerful enough
(Your heal is only powerful in mid/late game (due its enhancement) and if you/your teammate pick ALL the 3 hearts. If you or 3 different people get each one the hearts they wont be able to get a good amount of heal. So, this heal only work well if all the 3 hearts are picked by the same person. Now think a very big teamfight...Do you really think people would be able to stop fighting and get the hearts? Any other healer do this job better than you.)

Escape is good, but not great
(In the early game is a such big cooldown (16s) so you have to use it wisely to always have an escape. Also, you CAN BE STOPPED while doing your dash and without your dash I'm almost sure you are dead. Beside it, it's not a leap and you don't become invisible or walk through walls limiting your escape potential.)

Mesmerize effect in his ultimate is stopped if the enemy takes any kind of damage.
(If it was a Stun, would be very good, but I think it's gonna be OP, anyway, this effect is useful only if you are alone and trying to escape from someone so you slow the target and do a mesmerize effect gaining time to escape or if the target are far from you and you need to get closer to don't loose it (considering the target don't take any damage to wake him up, such as minions for example). Notice that if you do the item The Crusher, this effect is useless since the item passive will break it as soon as the Fields Of Love explode).

****py Early game
(Due the mini gods, I mean, minions are tankier, your early game is a real shi* and you are very weak. You are not able to even kill de minions wave without suffer to enemies or the wave.)

Too much Mid-Late Game
(Cupid only shines in mid to late game when at least 3-5 items from the build are done, before this, he needs a lot of game sense and you can only attack in the right moments or will be a farm bag to the enemy team)

Skills

Cupid fall in love with everything he hits, with more love, more powerful he becomes. He stacks a heart with each basic attack he hits (max 8 stacks). He will have the following additional effects with the stacks:

Each heart stacked will increase in 2% your skills damage

Each heart stacked will increase in 2% your heal

When all the 8 hearts are stacked you gain:

Mesmerized effect on his ultimate ( Fields Of Love) is doubled (1.5 secs to 3 secs).

Heart bomb when explode now will cause stun on all targets in the area.(This two skills will ALWAYS consume all stacks even when it's not at max.)

TIPS AND HOW TO USE

Try always stay at maximum stacks 'cause it enhance even more your skills damage, so put in your mind that stacks the 8 hearts is the priority before you do anything else.

The damage/ heal that this skill will increase is up to 16% and is calculated based on the flat damage/heal and based in the percentage of enhancement. For example, Heart Bomb cause a total of 340 + 180% of your physical power, with Lovestruck fully stacked will do ridiculous 394 + 209% of your physical power, notice that is increased in 16% of 180% which is almost 29%. That's the reason this must be stacked first.

You will listen a lovely sound and a heart will follow you when you are fully stacked.

It's high viable doing some attack speed on him, even when you are not going to do a god based on the basic attacks, to help stacking it.

You don't have to deal damage on your basic attack, you JUST HAVE TO HIT something and you gain the stack.

Type: Projectile

Cupid fire his famous arrow charged with a heart. The target hit with this arrow will loose 20% of movement speed and the heart will stuck on him. After 3 seconds, the heart will explode causing damage to the target and all enemies in the area. If your passive is fully stacked, the explosion will cause 1s stun to the target and all enemies in the area.

TIPS AND HOW TO USE

I think this skill is the core of Cupid. To play nice with him you will need master this skill.

Notice that the damage enhancement this skill has is up to (with the passive) 180% of your physical power plus the flat damage. So you must have a good amount of physical damage to make this a problem to the enemies.

The damage that this skill will be increased by Lovestruck is up to 16% and is calculated based on the flat damage and based in the percentage of enhancement. In numbers Heart Bombcause a total of 340 + 180% of your physical power, with Lovestruck fully stacked will do ridiculous 394 + 209% of your physical power of damage, notice that is increased in 16% of 180% which is almost 29%. That's the reason you must stack your passive first.

Heart Bomb gives to Cupid a big burst potential, since you can fire your basic attack, the Heart Bomb and then a basic attack again very quickly. So try to do this all the time. Maybe Hydra's Lament be a nice item o you.

This skill is very powerful, you do almost the same damage from your ultimate but it returns in 12 secs or sooner if you do some Cooldown Reduction Items.

Your damage is divided in 2 ticks: 1 when you hit the target and the other when the heart explode and this explosion cause damage in area.

Use this to help you clear minions waves very fast. At mid/late game just this skill kills the entire minions wave.

You can use this on a target that is running away from the battle to kill him but play safe, if you are not sure/if you miss this, stop chasing the enemy.

Only shoot this if you are SURE you will hit the target. Remember even if you miss the skill will be removed.

Try to ALWAYS stack your passive before shooting this to have more damage and a stun effect, but don't let an enemy go away if it`s not fully stacked.

Remember that this skill will ALWAYS consume all the stacks even when it`s not fully stacked.

The arrow has a slow speed and a range, so pay attention to learn how fire it, sometimes you will need do a predict to hit the target.

Early game, give preference to use your ultimate before the Heart Bomb due the higher damage your ulti will provide in combination with Lovestruck.

Video demonstrating

Pay attention on the damage with the Lovestruck fully stacked and without it.

Type: Ground Target

Cupid show to all teammates and himself the face of love throwing 3 hearts on the ground that heals allies or himself if picked up. If an ally get it, it will regenerate Cupid's mana.

TIPS AND HOW TO USE

Since this skill doesn't heal too much, you will need to add power in your build to boost this and try always use it with your passive fully charged 'cause your heal will be enhanced.

The heal that this skill will be increased by Lovestruck is up to 16% and is calculated based on the flat heal and based in the percentage of enhancement. In numbers Share The Loveheals a total of 330 + 75% of your physical power (with all 3 hearts), with Lovestruck fully stacked it will heals 383 + 87% of your physical power (128 + 29% of your physical power per heart), notice that is increased in 16% of 75% which is an addiction of 12%. That's the reason you must stack your passive first.

Always fire it where your teammates can see and get it.

In assault, this is very useful, you heal yourself and your teammates and when heals your teammates you get mana, so it sustains you very well.

Remember YOU ARE NOT THERE TO HEAL, YOU ARE THERE TO KILL, so don`t trust too much on your heal, and say to your team do the same. You JUST HELP with this heal, but you are not a Hel or Aphrodite.

Use this to restore your mana when you need. Each heart restores 30 mana and the skill costs 50 so if your teammates get all hearts you will gain 90 mana. If you have stacks from your passive, you'll up to 34 mana per heart totalizing 102 mana restored (you restore the mane you used and gain another use skill).

This skill doesn't increase the cost by upgrading it.

This skill DOES NOT consume your stacks from your passive, so use it free.

A useful tip: You fire your hearts always forming a triangule and these hearts bounces along the surfaces, so, it's smart fire this skill near a wall then the front heart will align with one of the back hearts and you can pick them very quickly/ 2 at once.

Type: Dash

Cooldown: 16-12 secsAttack Speed increased: 4/8/12/16/20% (Passive)

Cupid happy with his love dashes forward leaving a trail of love that increases in 30% all allies movement speed and himself when above it. Also Cupid gain a permanent attack speed buff by upgrading this skill to help him spread the love.

TIPS AND HOW TO USE

Just saying, Cupid can be interrupted while doing the dash (it isn't like Agni's Dash).

Be careful using this 'cause Cupid WILL ALWAYS dashes forward even when you aren't moving forward.

This is your escape, so don't throw it like it's nothing, this skill is your only chance to survive if someone chases you.

Upgrade this skill to get an attack speed buff as soon as possible.

Use this to help some teammate escape or the opposite, to help him get in the fight just like a taxi.

This is the only skill of Cupid that don't have any connection with the passive so use it without thinking in your hearts stacked.

You can use this to chase an enemy, just don't be suicide going into the enemy team just to kill one guy.

This skill doesn't increase the cost by upgrading it and you decrease the cooldown by 1s per level.

Video demonstrating

There are no Attack speed/moviment speed items in this video. Pay attention in how much is Cupid attack speed before I upgrade Flutter and how much is after. Also pay attention on his movement speed when inside his trail/outside it.

Type: Ground Target (Ultimate)

Cupid decides to turn the battlefield in a Love field firing arrows with hearts in a large radius circle in the ground, preventing enemies from use movement skills and stopping them if they already used keeping them close of his love, and also slowing all the targets in 35%. After 2 seconds the hearts on the arrows will explode causing damage and a mesmerize effect on all the targets in the area.

Tips and how to use

This is the most powerful Cupid's Weapon 'cause everything in this skill is good (Damage, cooldown and the debuffs) so use it wisely, especially in the late game, where this skill can do/help in a Deicide (Kill the entire enemy team).

The damage that this skill will be increased by Lovestruck is up to 16% and is calculated based on the flat damage and based in the percentage of enhancement. In numbers Fields Of Lovecause a total of 540 + 100% of your physical power, with Lovestruck fully stacked will do ridiculous 626 + 116% of your physical power of damage, notice that is increased in 16% of 100% which is 16%. That's the reason you must stack your passive first.

Try to combo it with your Heart Bomb and you will kill almost everyone, 'cause you will slow the target in 55%, you did damage by hitting the Heart Bomb, you will do damage by the explode from the heart, will do damage by the Fields Of Love exploding and you will have stun from the heart (if you were fully stacked) and the mesmerized effect. If all of this don't kill, just fire some basic attacks and it's done. Using this combo there is a 85% chance of killing at least one enemy.

Skills Order

Here I'm going to help you choose what skill you should upgrade first and what is the priority. You can have a: High damage or High Sustain or even be Hybrid. I will explain each skill order below.

High Damage and Sustain (Standard Upgrade)

This skill order will provide high damage and sustain upgrade in the skills. Heart Bomb is the 1st priority (since it is the Cupid Core), Share The Love comes as 2nd and Flutter is the last skill. Since you will only upgrade Flutter in late game, your DPS will be prejudiced so consider do Ichaival (see the section "Bridge Items" on the "Itemization Section" to understand what each item does) to gain attack speed and compense Flutter's Passive. When your Flutter is full upgraded sell the item and go to finish the main build. Ichaival is a suggestion, if you wanna just rush The Crusher or Jotunn's Wrath, it's also ok.

This skill order will provide high sustain via Share The Love once you will heal more, recommend to use in Assault where any heal is helpful. Unfortunately, you will only do a decent damage in the mid to late game since your skill Flutter and Heart Bomb will be upgraded later.

This skill order will provide high damage with Heart Bomb and a High DPS with the passive from Flutter. However you won't be able to sustain yourself very well since you let your heal skill ( Share The Love) to the end, so consider do Asi (20% lifesteal, 25% attack speed and 10 penetration for only 1700 gold) as a 3rd item for a good sustain and when you finish upgrading your skill you sell it to take another item from the build and start to sustain yourself with Share The Love.

Flutter + Heart Bomb + Basic Attacks

I recommend if possible you stay close and firing basic attacks 'cause Heart Bomb may not kill the guy by itself unless he is literally almost dead.

Watch out with this combo 'cause you won't have any escape until Flutter comes back.

You can invert the order if you want to escape and fire first Heart Bomb on the target making him slower and do a dash away. If fully stacked you will have a stun so I'm almost sure you will escape alive.

Excellent to chase more than one enemy that is trying to escape OR to get quickly into the fight. Hit many targets with Fields Of Loveand focus on 1 with the Heart Bomb and your basic attacks. I STRONGLY recommend that you fire first Heart Bomb and then Fields Of Love 'cause if you are fully stacked, it's better the stun from Heart than the mesmerize effect doubled from Fields since this effect is broken with any damage.

If you are focusing in Burst damage, this is a VERY HIGH POWERFUL BURST DAMAGE.

Be careful using this 'cause you won't have any escape until Flutter comes back.

+

Flutter + Fields of Love

take this love (chasing combo 2.0)

Excellent to chase enemies that are going away and you are not sure if will hit the Heart Bomb.

Also the mesmerize effect from the Ultimate will stop the target for you hit the Heart Bomb if it didn't die.

If you are trying to escape and there is enemies chasing you, you can fire Fields Of Love at your position and do a dash to escape, If the enemy don't have a skill to go forward, you'll have a safe escape.

+

Heart Bomb + Fields of Love + Basic Attacks

blowing enemies with love (burst combo)

Excellent to kill someone that is near to you or trying to escape of you after lose a fight.

Your most powerful burst damage. Use and abuse of this combo.

If you fail to kill the target, use the Flutter to go away. This combo is very powerful in the early game and mid game, in late game still powerful, but not so much as it was.

Combos and Synergies

"Shot to the heart and I'm to blame, baby!" - Cupid

Here I will show to you some synergies that Cupid has or not with other characters. All the descriptions here were made thinking about conquest and all the characters here were also supports, which doesn't mean you can't port the tips here for other modes or if the god is in other role.

Ares

Synergy:Good

Details

You Fire Fields Of Love and then someone brings the enemies to it. That's the combo. Also when your father Ares brings the enemies you can fire the Heart Bomb and then Fields Of Love, doing stun and a lot of damage. This combo become less effective at mid and late game 'cause the enemies will not group up (for obviously reasons), but you can catch 2 or 3 people. Also pay attention if all the enemies used Purification Beads or any other CC immunity or you will only waste your ultimate. Fire the Fields Of Love a little before Ares bring the enemies for maximum chances of success, but be careful, if you fire too early will waste the skill. Try to combine the timing of both skills, Fields Of Love + No Escape. Also you two can fire your ultimates separately to force the enemy use his Purification Beads or any other cc immunity, like, one fires the first ulti then the other fires the other ultimate. Remember that hear bomb and sharckles provide slow so if you too combine both skills, it's easy get a kill.

Odin

Synergy:Reasonable

details

Catch the enemy, lock in a circle and prevent him from escape, that is what will happen if Odin ( Ring of Spears) combine with Cupid ( Fields Of Love). Plus the enemy will take a debuff in his attack speed and won't be able to heal. His slow can combine with yours to almost make the enemy stop but and his strong early game can help you get a kill (or steal your kills :p)

Tyr

Synergy:Good

details

Tyr brings someone, you put the Heart Bomb (while Tyr still hitting the target), stuns the target and if the target starts to run for his life you fire Fields Of Love and...You got a Kill. I recommend you only use Fields Of Love if the enemy start to escape or is someone full of protections, because it's not necessary in other cases. Also Lawbringer slow the enemy so you can hit easier the Heart Bomb. Plus Tyr can heal himself and with you heal he can abuse of his strong early game.

Fenrir

Synergy:Good

details

With Fenrir, do the same as Tyr. Bring the guy, fire the Heart Bomb, basic attacks and then fire Fields Of Love if still alive and is trying to escape. Fenrir can easily stuns the target making him a very easy target to Heart Bomb and until level 12 the enemy ADC will have to choose between beads or aegis, and in both cases you can kill him easily doing the combo in the right moment. Also Fenrir can heal himself with his lifesteal and Brutalize isn't that easy to stop for most part of ADCs. You two just have to wait the right moment to attack and the enemy will die.

Aphrodite

Synergy:Reasonable

details

Pocket Healer. A beautiful duo for Siege or Joust or even be your Support in conquest. Your weakness is that you die fast, so if you have a powerful heal, you won't die and will be a killing machine. Of course Son and Mother will be a good duo. Also she has a stun, excellent to combo with your Heart Bomb. Her skill Undying Love can save you a lot and her heal and your heal make this duo a powerful and high sustain duo. But prepare yourself, you two may find some Pestilence, Brawler's Beat Stick, Toxic Blade and Divine Ruin in the enemies builds countering your heals.

Hades

Synergy:Bad (if support)

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Basically, you lock the enemy on Hades ultimate, 'cause the enemy can't use escape skills while in your Fields Of Love, so they will have a suffering death in Pillar of Agony or/and for everyone nearby. Plus the explode of your Fields Of Love will burst them and you have also Heart Bomb. But besides it, you two have nothing else to combo.

Ganesha

Synergy:Good

details

Ganesha's Ultimate deal damage and slows the enemies that try to escape walking, so you can fire Fields Of Love in this enemies and they will be so slow that a Turtle is faster than them, perfect targets, and just some basic attacks and the Heart Bomb...That's a kill (or more). If the enemy knows what Ganesha's ultimate do they will stay inside, what is also good 'cause the enemy won't have much space to move since it is small and time is ticking to explode the fields. Also ganesha never gets anything for him while you stay near him (he can't steal due his passive, which include even minions). Plus he can enhance your damage with Turn of Fate and has a movable silence that gives protections and can be a really good savior. Plus he also has his stun with a minor knockup with his dash.

Ymir

Synergy:Good

details

Ymir will freeze the enemy then you fire basic attacks and the Heart Bomb. If the enemy escapes alive, Fields Of Love on him and it's a certain death to him. A very easy combo but very predictable. Also ymir slows the target that combined with Heart Bomb can really difficult the enemy movement. Plus he also has high damage and can combo with yours doing a good damage in a single target. Also your healing saves him a lot since he has no healing or escape.

Lurking In The Water combined with Fields Of Love provides a 55% slow up to 75% and if you hit Heart Bomb it goes to 75% up to 95%, literally forcing a beads or "stopping" the enemy. Also, Sobek can throw the enemy inside Fields Of Love if he escapes or throw him to you hit with your Heart Bomb and his anti heal can help with healing enemies in lane.

Geb

Synergy:Reasonable

details

Geb can really save your life with his shield and his ultimate can also force a beads before you use yours or lock the enemy inside the Fields Of Love, his knockup can be useful to help you hit Heart Bomb. But the problem is that Geb is a passive support, and Cupid is not famous for dominating lanes and early game strong, so when this too are pared they make the Duo lane VERY PASSIVE. Geb can generally talking only save you/lock enemies in your skills, and these skills by themselves are not very stronger early game so you will not be able to be aggressive. So the best tatic is force the enemy get closer to your tower then call for gank, and if get ahead, oh yeah, you can be aggressive now baby.

Athena

Synergy:Good

details

Athena for a long time stayed on meta being on of the best supports you can have on your team and one of the best gods in the game, now even with the nerfs she reamins a very solid and good support. Her Confound (fist me...I mean, face me) can be a decent way to force enemy fight against her and not you, saving your life or making the target easier to hit the Heart Bomb. Preemptive Strike keep her somehow safe/ can initiate the fight or force the enemy escape and plus, her Shield Wall can be really helpful mainly on early game, helping you clear the wave. Her Defender of Olympus can be really helpful, giving you mitigation on tamfights + she can initiate, tank, retreat, ult, return to the fight very quickly, putting a lot of pressure on the opponent.

I could put almost everyone in the game here because how I said, Cupid has a very good team work, and his skills works very well combined with almost every other character. I just chose the Gods that usually are used as support and/or combo well with Cupid.

If your favorite support isn't here don't be sad, I will update it as soon as I can.

How to play with Cupid

Cupid, God of Love, a very nice and funny God to play, and also a little easy. Here I will help you saying how you should play with him, the general gameplay, that is common on all game modes.

If you haven't read the Skills sections right above, I suggest you do it before stars here.

I consider Cupid an Hybrid ADC (Half of your skills is focused on damages), so your build must consider your skills and also your basic attacks.

Early Game

I'm soo sweet (the passive start)

You are VERY WEAK and can't heal yourself well at beginning SO YOU MUST PLAY PASSIVE AND SAFE.

Try to clear the wave as soon as possible, and try to don't take damage from the wave. If the enemy cleared his wave first, retreat to your tower.

High recommend you take the damage buff, but if mid took it, whatever.

Try to don't start unnecessary fights until you have power, usually Transcendence.

In teamfights try to participate from some distance and run for your life if someone focus you.

PUT WARDS ON THE MAP to avoid be Ganked (See "Warding" section)

Poke your enemy as soon as possible (using Heart Bomb) but not too much or he will call for help and put you in seriously trouble

FOCUS ON FARMING, you need to get big as soon as possible so every farm you see, do it if possible (camps or minions waves).

There isn't so much to do here. Just be careful to don't die. IF THE ENEMY GETS BIGGER THAN YOU, YOU WILL SUFFER SO MUCH.

Ask for help every time you need, and don't do anything that can compromise you.

DON'T CHASE AN ENEMY IF YOU ARE NOT SURE YOU'LL KILL, just go if you have the Heart Bomb and/or Fields Of Love and you hit the target. DON'T GO IF THE ENEMY HAVE TEAMMATES NEAR HIM

Prefer to don't try and stay alive instead of dying trying and feed the enemy. Don't forget to use your heal on your teammates to get mana.

Mid Game

this arrow is aimed at your heart (time to be more aggressive)

Now you become some sustainable with Share The Love if you rushed it and do a decent damage, probably you are killing a minions wave without problems using Heart Bomb.

Now it's time to become a little aggressive. Your damage scales very well now (mainly with the build I did). You will see your basic attacks doing something like 175~200 basic attack and it surprises the most part of the enemies. Now think combined with heart bom and/or Fields Of Love, plus your CCs (slows, stun and mesmerize). Time to shine.

I recommend you start playing a little more aggressive, but not too much. Remember that your kit is not the best kit in the game and CANNOT save you from some hotter situations.

REMEMBER THAT OBJECTIVES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN KILLS, so it's time to start do your job, carry the game doing the objectives.

ALWAYS try to participate of teamfights now, 'cause your skills ARE VERY USEFUL to the team.

Now it's a nice moment to start rotate to surprise enemies and blow them with your love.

Avoid fight alone, mainly if against 2 or more enemies.

Late Game

love, find your mark! (be aggressive but in a safe way)

Time to group up.

Now you are stronger than ever so, time to keep shining.

Use wisely your skills now 'cause they are powerful and can change the games's destiny.

Stay with your team helping them and now, more than ever, participate in the team fights combining your skills with theirs.

Unfortunately, you are very squishy, so YOU DIE VERY FAST at late game so you will notice that you will shine less than mid game, BUT, you can counter it by playing safe behind your teammates. So, as long as you don't try to be a front line and stay together with you team you will still being a killing machine.

Obs.: Change the skills from "default" to "instantaneous" in settings to get better responses (except Fields Of Love and the Heart Bomb).

Cupid on game modes

"Don't be afraid of love! Nobody has ever been hurt by love!" - Cupid(that's a lie hahaha)

Here you will see specific tips to the game modes

Conquest

details

In conquest, you should prioritize do what your role needs. (ADC, Jungler, Mid, Solo or even Support).

In the game:

One of the worst Cupid's early game is in this mode (maybe the worst). You MUST play safe and passive at early game because you can't heal yourself.

Pokes really hurt you so avoid them.

Focus on the minion wave, it's the most important thing at early game, mainly at level 1,2,3...Remember minions do a lot of damage at early game and tank a good amount of damage and you don't even have a good clear, so I think you can imagine how this is bad to you.

Once you clear firstly the enemy wave, always try to poke him, with basic attacks or Heart Bomb, but be careful to don't call attention of his jungler/waste your main source of damage in the minion wave.

Ward as soon as possible to avoid ganks. You are pure cra* at early game and some junglers shines on early game so you cannot be ganked. (See Warding section)

Focus objectives instead of Kills but don't be a stupid guy trying to carry every single objective alone or you will die. You work better with your team.

Your presence on a teamfight is strong, mainly in mid to late game, so try to always participate.

Try to stole enemy gold objectives such as Golden Fury or Fire giant, even that you need to sacrifice yourself to it.

When you destroy your first tower start to rotate and help your team.

Tips to your match:

If there is some healer in enemy team, do Brawler's Beat Stick or Toxic Blade to neutralize part of his heal. (Maybe it's interesting against enemies with big lifesteal such as Anubis and Freya). If an ally did some anti-heal, don't do the same item and think twice if the team really need a second anti-heal item and if no one can do it for you.

If possible (it isn't a must item), ask to the Support do Shogun's Kusari as some mid-late game item if you have other basic attack gods such as Kali. It'll increase all allies attack speed in 25% so it will helps you a lot.

I strongly recommend you don't stay alone in this mode in the early game. Stay with someone to better chances of survive (You must stay with someone in early game but in mid/late it's optional, but high recommended, even when you start to rotate and can sustain yourself).

In late game, when you and your team are running to do the last objectives stay together and you behind them providing damage and support with your skills.

Always group up in the late game 'cause just one death can change everything.TOGETHER YOU ARE STRONGER.

ALWAYS REMEBER: OBJECTIVES > KILLS. If you didn't kill a lot but helped a lot with the objectives, that is what matters.

Assault

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Prioritize stop enemy team healing, healing yourself and your team.

In Assault if your team get some character with group healing skills he is considered a healer but Cupid is not a healer to Smite, so if you get him on your team probably won't have another healer on the enemy team.

Every match I fought with/against a Cupid there weren't other healers. Ok his heal is not powerful, but is better than nothing and provide a great sustain of mana to him.

In the Game:

At the beginning of the match be careful, there are a lot of crazy people that just rush for a kill. Remember that everyone starts with the ultimate ready.

Play safe and ALWAYS throw your hearts. Share The Love should be always in cooldown because you are using it as soon as available .

Participate (but from some distance) of the teamfights and remember your ultimate here is ridiculously strong here mainly in early game due usually no one does another relic except the Meditation Cloak. At level 12 with the second relic thing should be less broken to your side.

Always try to push objectives instead of rush for kills.

Try to poke with Heart Bomb and don't be poked, remember pokes hurt you a lot and here you have to literally Share The Love with your teammates so avoid take unnecessary damage.

Tips to your match:

Your main start item here is Jotunn's Wrath and not Bloodforge. You can heal yourself and the 20% cooldown is more helpful than the extra 35 damage, so for the god of love DON'T DO THIS ITEM as the 1st item!!!

Prioritize do items to counter the enemy healers (if there are) or if there is someone doing a lot of items of HP5.

Don't go in fights that you are at disadvantage like 4 vs 5.

Go carefully to kill someone 'cause your team will miss you a lot in a teamfight and your little heal.

I already said it but I will repeat 'cause it's one of the keys to success to play Assault well with Cupid: Always throw your hearts to your team get it because they will help them and you. They will regenerate their health and you will regenerate your mana, so it makes you high sustain in battle.

And seriously, don't throw the hearts near the enemy/where your team don't see it or will only loose mana. Also be careful to don't make a bait to your teammates with the hearts, remember that the enemy can see where your hearts are.

Remember that you CANNOT RETURN TO BASE AT ANY CIRCUNSTANCIES. You can only buy your items if you die and there is a large time to respawn.

ALSO: REMEMBER, OBJECTIVES > KILLS

Arena

details

Prioritize kill people and Minions

In the game:

Here you can leave the blessings and just rush Transcendence. Get your favorite relic and go to the buff camps get some XP.

I recommend you try to get the attack speed buff, it's more helpful at the beginning.

Once the buffs are done, move to the center to kill some minions.

When your ultimate is ready, it's time to shine. Start to combine your skills with other and you'll get a kill or an assist.

Protect your portal. Don't let minions approach. Killing is good but minions can turn the battle. I already lost a match due minions. I'm not kidding, focus minions. Of course you will not let your entire team die to kill some minions but also you can't ignore them all the time.

Group Up with your team. Try don't go alone and stay with your team always behind them. You are not a front line.

AND REMEMBER, OBJECTIVES > KILLS, so the minions (mainly the big ones) have priority over kill people

Joust, Clash, Siege

In the game:

I recommend you do not walk alone in this mode. The maps are small and if catch, you usually will not be able to run.

In Joust and Clash fight for the red buff. Do not throw it to the enemy. The first thing to do in these matches is secure de red buff as soon as possible. Then you can farm minions wave and then go to the others buff/camps such as blue buff.

In Siege, start on your damage buff, then move to the blue buff and give it to your ally then go to the minion waves and start to farm.

When your ultimate is ready, it's time to shine. Start to combine your skills with other and you'll get a kill or an assist.

Fights are intense. Usually, Clash and Siege there are intense and constant fights, try to participate safely and get some kills.

Group Up with your team. Try don't go alone and stay with your team always behind them. You are not a front line.

Joust and Clash you should ward the map. Put some wards into the jungle to avoid invades, ganks, surprises...In siege is harder, since there you can get only a sentry ward, so, don't forget to say when someone is missing on your lane.

Siege has the Juggernauts, that push lanes for you. Protect then when possible and remember that when there is a juggernaut you can teleport from your base to it by entering into the portal in front of the base. Juggernauts can really f*** with enemy tower/phoenixes so they can be very helpful.

In siege, do the middle juggernaut at mid/late game to get an extra juggernaut.

In joust, do the bull on the side of the map in your enemy never get out of the tower/phoenix.

AND REMEMBER, OBJECTIVES > KILLS, so towers, phoenixes and the titan have priority over kill people

Warding

"Watch over me please!" - Cupid"Ahh, You are as tall as me!" - Cupid

To do theses images, I CONSIDERED I SPAWNED AS ORDER SIDE, the light blue team.

I will show you how to warding the DUO, usually the place you will play with Cupid and some places additionally that may be useful. To see a complete section about warding check these two options:[/color]

Early Game

These are the first minutes of the match (0:00 to 10~13:00), until you get your first items online (2 ~ 3 items).

details

Red: Places you should ward. As you should know, you are very very weak and a simple gank in early game will really hurt you, so you should ward all the "doors" to the lane. In the first return to base (to finish Transcendence you must bring back the wards).

Yellow: Your support should ward. Since you can only put two wards, your support complements with his wards and none can approach the lane without you two being alerted.

Purple: Aggressive Warding. If you feel/know no one will backdoor at you, you (or your support) can ward these places to know enemies movement into "their" jungle.

Mid Game

This is when you get strong enough to take care of yourself, so your support go rotate (something around 13:00 ~ 20:00 minutes), and is when you get you 3rd, 4th (sometimes even the 5th) item online. You may find something like this at your minimap (the first tower of each lane should be gone or is almost falling).

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Red: Places you should ward. To counter enemies trying to destroy your 2nd tower and also to know if someone invaded your jungle.

Dark Red: Aggressive warding. To know enemies movements into "their" jungle and to get closer of the enemies towers without someone surprises you. Ward their Power Buff is also an good option.

Late Game

This is when you finish your build (something from 20:00 until the end of the match). With all items online you and your team (and your enemies) are strong and teams usually group up here to do the remaining objectives. Wards here are used to know the enemies movements and stop "split-pushes" or precious objectives such as the Fire Giant as well punish enemies walking alone. Here your towers probably fallen and you need to protect your phoenixes, the last block to the titan.

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Red: Defensive Warding. Places you can ward. Some good amount of places to ward to know when enemies enter in jungle or get out of that. These places will protect your jungle and remain objectives.

Dark Red: Aggressive warding. To know enemies movements into "their" jungle and to get closer of the enemies phoenixes without someone surprises you.

Orange: Sentry Wards and you MUST WARD. Objectives very important in late game that must be warded and warded by a Sentry ward, to counter other enemies ward.

Blue: To counter split-pushes. These wards counter split-pushes (enemies pushing the minions to take the phoenix while his team "distract"). When someone is detected, retreat immediately to defend the phoenix.

Remember your team will be (or at least should be) also Warding, so if someone put a Ward on "your" location, change it and put on other place.

Pay attention on the minimap, it CAN save your life!!!! When the beep plays and you see an enemy on the ward is recommended retreat unless you know what you are doing!!!

Builds

"Something to spread the love!" - Cupid

Builds

Conquest Builds

Standard build

Standard build for Conquest. You can change the order if you want. This Build will provide you a big burst damage potential, that I think is the best way to play with Cupid nowadays. Transcendence provides an excellent power for early game and since your main damage source is an skill based on scaling (hear bomb), this will give you the power you need to come online quicker (consider do Warrior Tabi (instead Ninja Tabi) first if you are behind). Since you don't have active attack speed boost, Ninja Tabi will give it to you allied with some mana and power. Jotunn's Wrath will provide good stats, but the most important one, 20% CDR, which will allow you fire more bombs, ultis and share the love. Then comes Heartseeker to enhance your damage giving additional burst then The Executioner and Qin's Sais to hurt tanks and for last but not least, you will sell your boot, will buy an Elixir of Speed then you will buy Bloodforge to get some lifesteal and more damage to your burst skills and a helpful passive on teamfights.

Alternative Build Example

The objective here is do a build with high attack speed making you a true ADC. You get trans for the same reason as in the first build but here you get Warrior Tabi since your next item will be The Crusher to help with attack speed and extra damage on your skills. The Executioner will give you some pen to hurt tanks, followed right after by Bloodforge providing some lifesteal to keep you alive in teamfights and/or deny reflections as hide of nemean lion. Then Qin's Sais comes to make easier kill people with the passive. To finish, you will sell your boot, will buy an Elixir of Speed then you will buy an situational item, for example, Odysseus' Bow to get some big attack speed, letting you proc qins passive and stack your passive very fast.

crit build (not recommended)

Lifesteal build with crits for Conquest. I personally don't recommend this build 'cause it doesn't have any synergy with Cupid, but it may work. You will build Devourer's Gauntlet to get early lifesteal and sustain with Share The Love. Then Ninja Tabi because without Transcendence you probably will need some extra mana early game. right after it, I build Rage to get the stacks as soon as possible followed by The Executioner to get some pen to also hurt tanks. After that you will need the Wind Demon helping get som extra crits and making you more ADC with the passive and of course the glorious Deathbringer (gulf loves this item on Loki :v , Just kidding gulf <3), to enhance you crit damage. Then you will sell your Ninja Tabi buy Elixir of Speed and a situational item to replace it.

Arena Build

Standard build for teamfight modes. This Build will provide you a big burst damage potential, that I think is the best way to play with Cupid in these modes. Transcendence provides an excellent power for early game and since your main damage source is an skill based on scaling (hear bomb), this will give you the power you need to come online quicker (consider do Warrior Tabi (instead Ninja Tabi) first if you are behind). Since you don't have active attack speed boost, Ninja Tabi will give it to you allied with some mana and power. Jotunn's Wrath will provide good stats, but the most important one, 20% CDR, which will allow you fire more bombs, ultis and share the love. Then comes Heartseeker to enhance your damage giving additional burst then The Executioner and Qin's Sais to hurt tanks.

Assault Build

As you all probably know, you can't stack "last hit stack items" on Assault, so what will we do now? Rush Jotunn's Wrath of course to get a lot of benefits. First, you will have Share The Love more often due the 20% CDR, which means more love healing, extremely efficient on Assault since no one can return to base and shraing the love with your teammates you also get a mana regen for you, so you will not even need use your meditation, plus you also gain pen, mana and power. Right after you will build Ninja Tabi for same reasons (mana, attack speed and some power) and now Heartseeker to give you some burst and more mana regen keeping you not mana hungry the entire game. Followed comes The Executioner and Qin's Sais to help you hurt the enemy tanks and giving you more attack speed to stack your passive Lovestruck and your HS faster. And for last, Bloodforge to enhance your damage on skills plus a minor lifesteal with a useful passive for teamfights.

Itemization

In this section I will see how some items works on Cupid and their viability in a build to this god.

Itemization

High Viable Items

High viable items

Items that can be build at almost any circumstance on Cupid and I'm almost sure you will have good results.

Transcendence

Viability: High

This item offer a huge power spike converting the mana into power plus it also offers a huge mana pool allied with solid stats for early game. Cupid skills are based in % of power and the mana pool also let him cast almost unlimited skills without worry about mana, so this item works in almost any any situation with this god.

Jotunn's WrathViability: High

This item offer a huge CDR allied with mana power and pen being an excellent item for those who look for maximize cupid combo power combining Heart Bomb with Fields Of Love.

HeartseekerViability: High

This item offer nice stats (nothing special) and a useful passive that avoid you become mana hungry and also apply extra damage on your combo when fully stacked. Better paired with a non-crit build.

The CrusherViability: High

This item offer nice stats early game and a useful passive that apply extra damage on your combo, helping with burst damage. This item breaks the effect of your ultimate so, if you are using the ultimate to sleep enemies, better do another item.

Ninja TabiViability: High

This item offer nice stats early game mainly the attack speed for the price. Since you attack speed is passive and by upgrading the level of Flutter the early AS can make a big difference if you are not going to make an AS item as 3rd.

Warrior TabiViability: High

This item offer nice early game power spike. If you are going to build as 3rd item an Asi or The Crusher, this boots will serve you better due the high power for burst combos.

The ExecutionerViability: High

Standard item to reduce enemy's physical protections, working as a pen in the build, enhancing your damage against all targets specially tanks. Due this item provide nice AS and Power, this item has the preference instead Titan's Bane.

Qin's SaisViability: High

This item provides nice extra damage on your basics against all targets and mainly and specially against tanks with huge HP pools. Provides a good amount of power and some attack speed, that is also welcome. Works better in high AS builds (2.0 per sec or more) and combined with high pen ( The Executioner/ Titan's Bane) since the extra damage isn't true but physical.

BloodforgeViability: High

This item provides a HUGE amount of power, perfect to your skills and also some lifesteal to heal you against deflects (such as Hide of the Nemean Lion) and keep you in fight with some sustain. Remember that Share The Love can provide all the sustain you need, but only out of combat! The item passive works well in teamfights since you can force your combo on a squishy target and get an easy kill.

Bridge Items

Bridge Items are items that provides early game strong stats for their cost but late game the usability of it falls being recommended replace it for a full T3 item.

bridge Items

AsiViability: Medium to High

Bridge item to offer early sustain in lane. The attack speed and pen are also good for early game. This item will improve your dps while provide some sustain in lane due the LS and the passive. If you intended to do this then rush Warrior Tabi instead ninja to compensate the lack of power early game. Consider replace it for a T3 item late game, but FYI, this item CAN be useful late game and you can keep it if you want.

IchaivalViability: Medium

Early game item for boxing. This item will give you attack speed and pen. Plus you will remove power from your enemy and boost your power during the fights for some extra pressure early game. Useful but this isn't an item you can build in every game. Also sell it late game to buy a T3 item (since the passive are almost useless late game).

Crits

Crits (not recommended)

DeathbringerViability: Medium to Low

Crits are usually not working well on cupid, although they can be viable if you are fighting against very squishy targets and nobody has heavy defenses. Anyway, there are people that love crits so let's go. Deathbringer is a core item if you are building crits, however this item will NEVER be your first item, due the high price and the stats. When you already others 1 or 2 crit items then you buy this one to enhance your crits.

Wind DemonViability: Medium to Low

Crits are usually not working well on cupid, although they can be viable if you are fighting against very squishy targets and nobody has heavy defenses. Anyway, there are people that love crits so let's go. Wind demon is a good option since you have no active attack speed boost, this item will help you giving more AS and MS when you crit someone. Also the stats are ok for the price. Remember that you need at least another crit item to make it worth ;)

Poisoned StarViability: Medium to Low

Crits are usually not working well on cupid, although they can be viable if you are fighting against very squishy targets and nobody has heavy defenses. Anyway, there are people that love crits so let's go. This item will decrease enemy power and slow him that can be combined with the slow of your skills to almost stop the target. Remember that you need at least another crit item to make it worth ;)

RageViability: Medium to Low

Crits are usually not working well on cupid, although they can be viable if you are fighting against very squishy targets and nobody has heavy defenses. Anyway, there are people that love crits so let's go. This item is recommended to be built earlier, since you have to stack it (3rd or 4th). It provides a huge chance of crits alone and combined with other crit items can be very powerful. Remember that you need at least 2 crit items to make it worth ;)

Situational Items (Offensive and Defensive)

Items that may work in some specific situations and can counter/give you some advantage over your opponent. (Can also be possible replacements for boots late game).

Situational Items

Brawler's Beat StickViability: Medium to High

It offer nice stats at all and can be useful even when the enemy does not have healings/huge lifesteals. Gives you power and penetration and stop part of the enemy healing. A must item if there are Gods that heals in the enemy team or huge lifesteals as Anubis with double or triple lifesteal. It's not a very recommended item to him because you have only 2 skills that do damage so maybe Toxic Blade is more interesting to him, however, Heart Bomb applies this item twice, meaning you will have 11 secs of this item passive.

Hydra's LamentViability: Medium

It may work well on Cupid or can have no effectiveness.
You can combo theFlutter + Basic Attack + Heart Bomb + Basic Attack and you do a ridiculous burst damage taking an advantage of your enemy 'cause no one expect take a big burst damage from an ADC (Specially Cupid without the ultimate).
This item passive is: after using a skill, for 8 secs, your next basic attack deal +50% damage (pay attention that is the NEXT basic attack you DO, and not the next basic attack you HIT). The problem here is exactly this, if you miss the basic attack right after using a skill you are making this item passive useless, and this item also doesn't have a very good stats that make it worth even when you don't use its passive, so if you miss basic attacks frequently (very common on consoles), don't build this item.
Also it has a little cooldown helping you with your skills. This item could be helpful in situations you have to burst your enemies and after that you couldn't fight much more, but this is very situational, use it wisely.

Devourer's GauntletViability: Medium

This item will gives you much more lifesteal than Bloodforge if you stack all the 70 stacks and you will lose some power (gives you 65 power when fully stacked) compared with Transcendence (the item and its passive that reaches almost 100 physical power (at level 20)). You only need patience to stack 70 minions. If you prefer you can CHANGE Transcendence in this item, making your Cupid more high sustain and full ADC but your skills will be in second plane and you will always be in need of mana if you don't retreat to your base often or use Share The Love correctly. So use it wisely!. Basically your survivability is increased and your power decreased and plus you become (even more) late game.

Titan's BaneViability: Medium

It will gives you a nice penetration AGAINST TANKS. If you are fighting against a tanky enemy comp (3 or more tank gods), do this item as soon as possible. Remember that this item is almost useless against squishy targets (without protections in the build) while The Executioner still useful since its passive remains the same independently of how much protections the enemy has and it has AS also.

Toxic BladeViability: Medium

This item is recommend against enemy healers. If You are fighting, for example, an Anubis this item can be a way to stop his ridiculous lifesteal without lose DPS. I recommend you do as one of the last items if enemy ADC do not have double lifesteal or healing. If there aren't enemies that heals/lifesteal, don't do this item. It's easier to apply than Brawler's Beat Stick since you just have to hit basic attacks, but besides the AS, this item stats are not so good for you. If one of your teammates did Brawler's Beat Stick and the Support Pestilence your team will TOTALLY CANCEL THE ENEMY HEAL with your Toxic Blade (Considering all passives were activated together). Now with Rod of Asclepius healing more, don't forget to do this item or Brawler's Beat Stick or will give the victory to the enemy. But remember, no healers/ridiculous lifesteal, no Toxic Blade.

Magi's CloakViability: Medium

This item is very situational. Since you are squishy, one stun can open a chance to the enemy kill you without problems, so if taking to much stuns or other types of control, this item is for you. This item gives health, some physical and magical protection and absorbs a hard control on you giving you immunity for 1s after that with a reasonable cooldown. Recommended only if you are dying by enemies controls (stuns for example).

Atalanta's BowViability: Medium to low

If you need movespeed, power and attack speed, all together, this is the item. When you hit something with basic attacks you gain 5% of movement speed that last 7secs (stacks up to 3 times), letting you stay close of your target/retreat without waste Flutter and also you gain 30 power, 30% of attack speed and 10% movespeed. A very situational item. Flutter usually is more than enough to keep you safe/close to your enemy.

Odysseus' BowViability: Medium

Since you doesn't have an Active Attack Speed skill this item can make you easily reach 2.0 or more hearts arrows fired per second. Plus the passive is very useful in teamfights since the lightnings does a decent damage and you fire it every 2 secs. The cons it that this item doesn't offer anything else (besides the AS and the Lighting), so there's no reason to build it earlier on Cupid.

Soul EaterViability: Medium

The controversial Soul Eater. Some people like to build it on cupid, some people don't. The fact is that although Cupid cannot take a very good use of its passive, the stats are kind good so this can be a good item on him in some situations. Remember to build it as 3rd or 4th item since you have to stack (yes, it stacks very fast but you still have to stack).

WitchbladeViability: Medium to low

It can be a decent replacement for boots late game, after you buy the Elixir of Speed. Gives you some useful stats (not good but useful) and it removes some AS from your enemies, useful against AA comps, as the enemy ADC + Kali/ Bakasura + Erlang Shen in the same team.

Breastplate of ValorViability: Medium to Low

If the problem is two or more physical enemies, this is the item. This item gives you nice protections against physical enemies (65 protections), huge cooldown to help you use the Share the Love more often, 300 mana and 10 MP5 to you don't worry about mana. An excellent survive kit against physical enemies. Recommended for duel. If you intend to build this item, then do not buy Jotunn's Wrath to avoid over cap the CDR.

Mantle of DiscordViability: Medium to Low

This item gives you nice protections against both magical and physical enemies (60 protections), some cooldown to help you use the Share The Love more often and this item passive is helpful when you are dying to close-range enemies. You will do a stun in area when your health reach less than 30% and also you gain 1 sec CC immunity, EXCELLENT TO STOP COMBOS SUCH AS Tyr, Ratatoskr, Awilix AND A LOT OF OTHER ENEMIES THAT NEED TO COME CLOSE TO HIT THEIR COMBOS.
Also this item is EXPENSIVE, 2900 gold is a luxury item, so let this as one of the last items. (This item it isn't so much recommend against long-range enemies since the passive is somehow useless, maybe te CC immunity works, but the stun certain will be useless).

Winged BladeViability: Medium to Low

This item offers some not soo good stats for you but offers a useful passive. If you are facing many slows in the match, this item will help you providing immunity to slows and a speed boost helping you stay alive/chase your enemy when you need it. This item has a reasonable cooldown on passive so pay attention on it! It only worths late game when you really are facing slows everywhere!

Genji's GuardViability: Medium to Low

If the problem is two or more magical enemies, this is the item. This item gives you nice protections against magical enemies (70 protections), huge cooldown (10% + the passive) to help you use the Share The Love or Flutter to escape more often, 150 health and 40 MP5 to you really don't worry about mana. An excellent survive kit against magical enemies. Recommended for duel.

Ancile (on-see-lay)Viability: Low

If the problem is two or more magical enemies, this is an item to consider. Useful ONLY if some magical enemy are sticking on you (to make this passive work), here's an example made by Bran:

Ao Kuang players should consider Blink Rune as an option. It allows them to surprise an enemy without burning their only escape if things turn sour. If he blinks into you and is looking to unload, it may or may not stop some of his burst, but especially if you were lower health and it happened to be up, it might give you an opportunity to dash away (and your dash is a bit longer than his teleport), giving you some space. Maybe after the dash you lay down your ult and slow him with that.

The comments section may have a lot of extra information and even doubts already answered, don't forget to check it!

Relics

"I want it! I want it!" - Cupid

These are items with large cooldown that can help you in the battle or even save you life, so don't forget to get it before go to the battle. Relics are free, but can be upgraded for 500g. Players unlock their first Relic at
level 1, and their second Relic at level 12.

This Relic makes you don't take damages or debuffs by anything during 1.5 secs (not 2 secs anymore) but you can't do anything too except move. Excellent when someone goes on you or when there are bursts damages on enemy team. If flutter is reloading and the enemies are trying kill you, it's nice use this to try to stay alive while flutter aren't ready. (You can't be healed while in the effect of this). Use it wisely 'cause the cooldown is HUGE and the protection is very fast so you MUST USE it in the right moment or will waste it and die.

Using this item restores 75 Health + 12 Health per level and 30% Mana to all Allied gods within 35 units. A "must item" in Assault since you can't return to the base so it helps the entire team stay in battle. You can use this in other game modes (but it not the best relic).In assault don't waste it, try to use always near the team to help as many people as you can. You can do another relic if you want and/or need but you will prejudice more your team than you (since you can sustain yourself in health and mana following this guide), so if you are facing 2 or more Hard CC do beads, if facing executes/high damage Aegis...

Using this item allows you and allied gods within 35 units to pass through players and player made objects for 5s. Excellent if there is an Odin or Ymir. You are squishy so a simple wall blocking you can be the difference between the life and the death so use this in a intelligent way to stay alive.

Using this item reduces the Healing received by all enemy gods within 55 units by 50% for 10s. Excellent to use against enemies healers or with someone that have selfhealing. Combine this with the [Brawler's Beat Stick and you will almost cancel the entire heal. Very nice to use in Assault as a second relic.

His mother Aphrodite has an skin called Venus. It's a reference to the real mother of Cupid in the roman mythology.

Cupid wasn't a kid, actually he was a handsome young man with wings and his golden bow. This version of Cupid we use today (As kid) was created in centuries 14th to 17th and then valentines day started to use the "new Cupid" in the cards around 1800.

About the Smite Cupid (the playable character)

The guide name "Love, find your mark" is a reference to Cupid voiceline when he fires his Heart Bomb

Cupid was turned into a magical god for a short period of time but was eventually changed into what he is today.

Cupid can says at Low Health "I keep bleeding love.. Ouch!". This is a reference to the song Bleeding Love.

Cupid when kills Sobek can say, "See you later, alligator!". This is a reference to the song See You Later, Alligator.

Added a new build to Cupid if you want play as Jungler (description and details soon) (I'm testing this build, so it may change soon)

03/16/18

Minor erros solved

Added Spoilers in "Random Facts" dividing the section in 2 main topics: Facts about Cupid, the God and facts about the Smite Cupid, the playable character.

Added new random facts

Added a new "Pro" to Cupid: "Best cards in the entire game", and added the cards to prove it.

03/12/18

Minor erros solved

Updated some descriptions to better understanding

03/12/18

Added more match-ups.

Updated the Combo list. Now it is like Match-ups and shows only combos with common Supports.

03/08/18

Added more match-ups.

Added some spoilers to make the guide become shorter and get a better view.

Updated some build examples.

Updated changelog in sections per month.

Updated footer to match with the header color.

03/05/18

Reworked the topic "Strong/Weak against" . Now it calls "Matchups" and talk about specific gods you may fight against in your lane. Due the number of Gods it is not complete and will be upgraded as soon as possible.

Updated the header "strong/weak" against in "Matchups".

Added comments in some example builds to give more information.

Added a crazy comparison in "Introduction".

Updated the footers to the new topic "Matchups"

The topic "Combos" will be updated sooner to match-up with "Match-ups".

Assault Build will also be updated sooner with more detailed information.

03/01/18

Reworked the way that the Guide Items are displayed. Now they are divided in slot classes.

Chapter "Builds" remaked to give better explanations about the items, when you should do each one, which slot it may use...

Hey Mysterio! I can't wait to try out Cupid again! (He was my favorite hunter during the entirety of Beta and S1). When the patch comes out, I'll try it out and comment about my thoughts here! But, until them, I wanna come here and say I'm oficially sad because you still haven't written about Athena support synergy! I don't care if you have a warning about it, I'm sad! (:p).

As an FYI, in your main build example, you've committed pretty heavily into ability damage, with both Trans and Jotunn's, and you also built Heartseeker, which has no AS. Without Ninja, IMO, you don't have enough AS to justify Qin's with only Exe providing any other AS. In that respect, I feel you should probably back off on The Executioner and Qin's Sais, and go Titan's Bane and maybe just get Odysseus' Bow if you want enough AS for some DPS function. Also, as an alternative to Bloodforge, you can consider Soul Eater.

For the alt build example, probably still suggest not getting The Crusher due to it interrupting the passive mez. If you want that AS, you might be better off getting Ninja Tabi, and just move Exe up for the needed pen function. Bloodforge at that position (after Exe and before Qin's) also seems a bit weird, and I'm curious as to your explanation for that.

When going crit, and you choose to get Rage, I think the 2nd crit item should be Deathbringer, since Rage gives you tons of crit chance. Might just be my preference, but feel it's going to be the better choice.

Don't think you need to list the Tabis in the ADC items listing. And Jotunn's / HS are NOT ADC items, so I'd put it in situational, based on your available categories. And why aren't Devourer's Gauntlet, O-Bow, and Atalanta's in there? You might want to determine your definitions for ADC and situational. It's honestly a mess.

Personal skill leveling preference...at level 9, you only get an 80 damage boost for your ult. I'd much much rather get the last point in Heart Bomb, since it's got (obviously) a much lower CD and will help you a lot more for laning/clear.

Arena build: Same thing applies for your Arena etc. build...first build commits 3 items with 0 attack speed, and with a pretty heavy emphasis on ability use. That's fine, but maybe don't get Qin's, and get more use out of your abilities with TB.

If you choose the alternative start by getting Attacker's Blessing, you probably shouldn't go into Trans, or you should get boots first. That's a pretty big delay by purchasing that...and in all honesty, I probably wouldn't even consider Attacker's for him. One main ability + ult that deals damage isn't a lot of good early aggression.

Question (and this goes for the Conquest build too): If you're willing to get Genji's Guard to counter extreme magical threats, why wouldn't you also consider Ancile? Sure it has a bit less prot/health, but it's got power, and it's not like you'll be starved for mana that you need the MP5.

Especially in Assault (but even in the other modes), I don't know what your love is for Heartseeker. Yes, it aligns nicely with your passive stacks, but still...it just doesn't seem to bring enough to the table to be a strong pick, let alone "core." Also, any and all previous and upcoming comments pretty much apply across the board.

For Duel, is Qin's really core? Again you're getting multiple items that don't have AS, and Qin's is really best for high health gods, and it's situational if you'll even be facing that. Instead, I'd probably be considering Jotunn's to make sure your ult greatly outworks the enemy's Beads or whatever. Not that Jotunn's is core either.

First about the main build. Yes, I know I start with ability based and finish with AA items, I think that it is pretty normal on Cupid. Pure ability hunters tend to fall at late game, so my idea is trying to make something B A L A N C E D, I'm trying to make things works in both ways. The attack speed late game without Ninja Tabi is 1.83, that I agree it's not soo much, however, testing your suggestion (TB n O-bow) I had no differences (besides that you don't have to hit the enemy to get the "pen"). The AS is the same and the extra damage qin's applies are compensate in tanks by the O-bow passive. So, you can change it if you want but both cases has almost the same results.

This was made to be an alternative build, focusing less in skills and more in basic attacks but again, it still trying to balance things. The Crusher early game provides very nice stats and a decent passive that helps on your combos early game with some extra damage before moving into true pen with exec. Also, since you will have AS from crusher, Warrior Tabi can be a decent option for extra power from your skills. So, you start early tanking advantage of your skills (but considering also your basics) and finish it with a true ADC that has some skills to help you (the other build it's the opposite, you have your skills and then your basics to help). (This build is very similar to what the Brazilian Streamer Zurigui builds, a very good smite streamer).

About crits I don't think they even worth unless you have a full squishy enemy team or something similar, so I don't even use crits anymore on him, but I may consider it.

By this comment I recognize that T2 Transcendence is a good start, HOWEVER, I'm too busy to put it in the guide now (moving all content that comes after to new tab to put this start right after the start with the blessing), so it may took a little time to you see it.

Renamed the list from ADC Items do "High viable items" and added some description to it. I hope that it is more clear now.

That's personal. If my ulti is on cooldown, I upgrade Heart Bomb, if it isn't, I upgrade the ulti, but unfortunately, I can't make these comments on skill level, so I may add it on the section on my guide.

Same applies from the previous comments. You start focusing on your skills, main source of damage early game, then you try to balance things late to avoid fall. Qin's is reasonable on this build since the AS stay in 2.01

Attacker's Blessing start is exactly for this. Rush boots then return to trans. This can be useful against some specific match-ups on non-conquest mode such as joust, match-ups where the movespeed and power from boots can make you take some advantage.

The reason I don't list on-see-lay is that the passive is almost useless since you keep distance of your targets most part of time. The viability is low on him from my view point and I'm not going to put low viability items on my guide now (unless they are very common to see on Cupid)

I have the same love for Heartseeker that you have for Soul Eater on him :v, as you should have noticed I like the item, this item mid/late game helps you take away half or more health from enemies using only Heart Bomb. Plus in assault, when you have this item you can freely heal yourself with Share The Love and you will never be in-need of mana.

In duel there is just 2 builds examples and none of the items there are core. I don't play duel (serious, just for fun) so I'm not able to talk what would work or not, plus, duel is a match-up mode, all dependes the match-up you pick and the build the enemy does so the builds may vary a lot. May I start playing duel then I will update the section, but, for now, there are only examples to give a north to people looking for some duel builds.

5. That works. Still think Jotunn's and Heart are situational (as in really depends on your build path) but personal opinion I guess.

9. Fair enough. Situational usefulness though. You find yourself getting jumped by an Ao Kuang and it might be nice.

10. I'm pretty sure you're joking, but I was just suggestiong SE as an option, not that I find it highly preferable. As for the passive giving you mana, at least in my experience, mana's never an issue, even if I need to pick up my own hearts here and there. Others get Med, and that, combined with the mana gained from others picking up the hearts at other times, seems more than enough. I do love playing him in Assault.

9. How can it work on Ao Kuang? I mean he usually comes to you with Dragon Call already casted and onseelay silence is too short to avoid his ultimate.

10. Yep I am joking :v. You suddenly start to suggest SE in every post about Cupid so I started thinking you love the item as much as I love Heartseeker on him. Yes, I know you are just suggesting it. Yeah, getting meditation is another way you can take, but I usually prefer to get a more useful relic and "my meditation" are my own hearts and the HS passive. Just preferences :v

Specifically? Well, it's situational, but it SHOULD be considered as an option if you're also giving Genji's Guard as an option.

Ao Kuang players should consider Blink Rune as an option. It allows them to surprise an enemy without burning their only escape if things turn sour. If he blinks into you and is looking to unload, it may or may not stop some of his burst, but especially if you were lower health and it happened to be up, it might give you an opportunity to dash away (and your dash is a bit longer than his teleport), giving you some space. Maybe after the dash you lay down your ult and slow him with that.

Either way, it also offers power, which is something Cupid would like for his Heart Bomb damage, and so has some similarities to Genji. Just not as much prots or health.

Options. Blessing and T1 Trans offers a safe start to you stay in lane more time being extremely good when the blessing is fully stacked due the AS plus the AS Ninja Tabi is usually more than enough for your early game/start of the mid, but the con is that you take sometime to get online.

While rushing T2 and then Transcendence brings you online quicker due the high scaling HB and FOL have, but, it is extremely easy get behind if you die once or twice without trans is ready.

If you are not fight against an early game comp, then rush Trans. If you are, blessing is safer.

I would skip the blessing and rush Transcendence if I was going that route because it's really not all that useful until it's stacked. At least with Devourer's Gauntlet you get that extra life-steal and power until you finish it and it benefits from attack speed where trans doesn't.

I'm not saying it's bad, but there is that interaction to consider. And maintaining the mez, when it does hit, can be useful for two things...1: escape, where you're trying to create distance, and 2: if you've got good enough teammates that recognize they can close in before attacking to guarantee the kill.

And even then, with only 1 damaging ability and the ult, the passive doesn't get used all that much...though the balance of base stats are solid...which is the main reason this is a functional item. But at that point...there are other items that can also have good function.

And even then, with only 1 damaging ability and the ult, the passive doesn't get used all that much...though the balance of base stats are solid...which is the main reason this is a functional item. But at that point...there are other items that can also have good function.

Which is an argument to build more AA-based, i.e not Jotunn's or Heartseeker. Crusher is an AA-hybrid item with some good stats and a decent passive.

Well, and that's why my main issue with that Trans + Jotunn's build is that if you're going to commit that much to ability use, don't bother so much with Exe/Qin's...and if you DO want Exe/Qin's, then don't get things like HS, and invest more solidly into that AA concept.

The thing is Qins/Exe is what helps to keep you relevant lategame. Ability based Hunter's tend to fall off late, especially against tanks. Crit is much more deadly to squishy gods with some relevance to tanks late.

Agreed...but Qin's + Exe +20% AS from Flutter isn't quite enough AS to really get the most out of Qin's. That's basically what I'm arguing. If you're going to commit to abilities, but then you only have Exe/Qins, then you're seriously jack of all trades and you're not excelling at anything. My preference here would be, other than Trans, to just go into basic attacks as hard as possible, with a likely focus on Qin's vs. crits.

Alternative non-crit build I created it's a mix of Skill and Basic Attacks trying to balance both sides. Heartseeker is used as a 3rd item due the mana regen (as said in the explanation topic about this build), since the extra damage is not so much, but the mana regen is REALLY helpful when you don't have Trans. Also I hate Odysseus' Bow (I hate this item) and The Crusher (mesmerized effect ;P) on Cupid. With the build you listed your cupid will be a almost a pure basic attack hunter and I personally think cupid doesn't have potencial to act like this.

So, there's nothing wrong getting trans and crits and no lifesteal on him, since you have Share The Love that is enough when played right with cupid (with jotunns and trans cdr). You basic will destroy the squishies and you also have you burst combo to help, making necessary only 2 or 3 basic attacks to finish.

Yes, a good point, I will change in the guide. But there are situations I still think HS as 3rd is good such as on Chiron, due the regen mana since he uses a lot of mana and when you don't have trans on your build for example.

I think the Bloodforge build could be nice, I will added it. I personally don't agree with your thoughts about Heartseeker Kriega1, although I must agree this alternative build is much more for a specific situation so I decided change its placement. Plus It's mentioned in Asi section to build warrior tabi if you intend to do it, but I always recommend replace both at late.

Yes, the new HS makes her Heart Bomb a portable ultimate every 12 secs (or less combined with Jotunn's Wrath) plus the true ultimate comes to help your burst even more crippling and slowing the target. Now I'm feeling he viable on conquest again and very good to counter squishy targets with some movement skill dependency, including himself.

The Crusher was since the changes a good item on him, I guess bran, just like me, don't like this item on him due the passive countering the ultimate and crusher's passive working in only one skill besides the ultimate, so I prefer to use other items, like Jotunn's Wrath on cuspid

I saw the build and the game that "CycloneSpin" got him, and my thoughts on this forum topic were confirmed. He goes with trans and Heartseeker being passive and when he has the opportunity he strikes with everything, but he is extremely vulnerable with no sustain in battle, but has a big burst damage.

Ninja is there to help him with his passive, that is very important when you are playing as jungle, also he doesn't have any active attack speed buff, what force me go for it. Hydra is just a sugestion, you can go jotunn's or transcendence first if you prefer. I just do hydra as third item when I'm a jungler with him because the boost on basic attacks help in the jungle and mainly in ganks executing the right combo (heart bomb + basic attack + Fields + basic attacks, and if runs or stay alive + flutter + basic attacks.). Also as said in the title, this should be just for fun.

I'm guessing what kriega is wondering about is not so much Ninja but rather Hydra so early, because the Hydra passive is helped by power in the build. Later in a build is almost always better, though I can understand your thought process. Even Transcendence might be a better option a little bit later rather than first.

A better bet for first item might be heartseeker, since you will definitely be getting stacks easily, and it goes with your concept of getting some early bonus damage. It also gives you some penetration for early gank potential.

Yeah,I also think trans can be nice to rush after Ichaival and then hydra, I might change it. Also HS wasn't available to hunters when I did the build, now I will added it since the stats and passives worth on him.

I figured as much. I only mentioned it because most people won't bother trying to translate what he's saying. One of my pet peeves is when people go onto a site where it's obvious the majority speak a certain language and proceed to post in their native tongue. For example, if I were to visit a Brazilian site, I would use Google translate to participate in the conversation instead of posting in English and expecting everybody else to accommodate me by replying in English. I also get annoyed when I have to translate text speak (IKR? = I know, right?).

Two things: One, "Priorize" or "Prioritize"? Two, another interesting fact about Cupid is his association with Valentine's Day. You can do research on the holiday, and how he represents it. Other than those trivial things, perfect.

Thank you man for your feedback. I didn't even noticed this "prioritize". About the Cupid and Valentine's day, I can make some mention in "random facts", but I can't write the entire history in the Guide :v.

I liked so much your guide. I like Cupid but and I was looking for some guide to help me and your guide did the job very well. Thank you. Also I want ask you: Don't you think Cupid is a skill based hunter? All good Cupids I fought did only damage items and only 1 or 2 attack speed item. What do you think about it? Again, thanks for the tips in build, it helped me a lot, I hope you do another guide like this for Tyr.

I'm happy to know you like my guide and it helped you. That's why I made this, to help other people.

About the skill-based Cupid, yeah man, how I said in the guide, Cupid is flexible and you can do a lot of things with him. But in my opinion the best way to work with Cupid is a Hybrid Cupid. You only have 2 skills that do damage so I don't think worth rush a entire power build without some attack speed, also you will need attack speed to stack your passive ( Lovestruck), so these are the two main reasons to don't do a total skill based Cupid. But that is my opinion.

About the Tyr guide, yes I might do it since I like very much Tyr, thanks for the tip.

Thank you for read my guide and I hope you stay tuned, since I always update the guide as soon as possible.

A thing I noticed that I think you've misunderstood, but this is a very big thing and will really change the way you implement it. Flutter provides passive attack speed when you level it...BEFORE, it used to provide the attack speed only when you used it, but now if you level it, it's a permanent attack speed buff. This is a huge boost for Cupid's DPS, but instead of having the dilemma of choosing escape or attack, you now have to choose leveling other abilities or this one depending on what you want. Overall, I think it's a very nice ability for him, and this is the main reason why people in S4 converted over from a Transcendence build to a Devourer's Gauntlet one...his basics are pretty good now...and of course building for basics with good attack speed means you'll get more out of Lovestruck.

Not that Trans isn't viable...it got that nice CDR buff, so you CAN play him a bit more like a mage and do well with your damage overall, especially with the great scaling in Heart Bomb and Fields Of Love...but it's not the only way to build him.

In any case, I think this one difference in Flutter may change how you'd prefer to build him (maybe), and probably should change the order of your skill leveling.

I like that you have a warding section and that you emphasize that Cupid really should be warding too. That said, I really think you can push the wards back into the jungle a ways...the radius is enough that you can cover more paths instead of just the very entrance. If you want to see examples of better locations, check my Conquest guide (or see one of my ADC guides like Medusa or Freya).

You show Warrior Tabi in your Conq build at the top, but feature Ninja Tabi in your build writeup. I personally agree with Ninja more, but either way, this sends mixed messages, even if you say "you can change it with Warrior Tabi..."

I think you miss out on one of the biggest reasons to get Transcendence in your writeup of the item... Cupid's high scaling on his 1 and ult, along with an enhanced heal, since his heal (although small) is one of the few physical god healing abilities that has scaling.

Also, with the upcoming patch 5.3, Malice is getting an interesting adjustment meant to help gods that rely on abilities...this might work well for him as a replacement to Deathbringer or Poisoned Star...but you'd probably want to build a bit more attack speed into his kit. That could mean a variety of changes to the build, but just something to think about.

First of all, thank you to share your thoughts with me, I'm glad you gave me your feedback to help me improve this guide.

Now, let's to what interest. I divided your comment in 7 parts to give you a better answer (1 for each paragraph).

1 - Flutter passive

Thank you to say it to me. I was stuck in the past, now I will reconsider all Skills levels and of course update the Skills descriptions.

2 - Play styles, the build and items

In the section "How to play", I say that Cupid is a hybrid God, meaning you can do a skill based build or ADC and I'm trying even be jungler with him, and it's working pretty well. But the point is: Cupid is flexible and I think it's impossible you create a guide without put something from your personal play style, so that's why I created the topic "Replacement Items", where there are items to other styles and people can change the items from the main build to them. Furthermore, I'm considering doing other build examples. I will add a better description in the builds to show with clarity the play style and what's the objective with this build.

3 - Change the skill order

Yes, you are right. I will change the skills order to better results.

4 - The Warding section

I will check your warding section. I just create this warding guide to help new people ward with this squishy God. The main objective was just show that they (people playing with Cupid) MUST pay attention on ganks or will feed the enemy easily, it's not to be "a complete full master" warding guide, at least for now. Anyway, I will check and improve this as soon as possible.

5 - Showing Warrior and explaining about Ninja

It was a mistake, should be Ninja there. I got the wrong boot, I'm sorry.

6 - The Transcendence and power scale

I will added something about that.

7 - Update the guide to patch 5.3

Of course I will update the guide to 5.3 and I will test the "new" Malice and good situations where it fits nice.

That's it. One more time, thank you to help me improve this guide. It's the second time you provide a VERY GOOD help to me, thank you.

Alright, so here are some other things to consider in honing the guide...mind that I don't want you to change based on what I'm saying, but rather consider these, maybe try them out, and THEN, if you like how it feels, consider adjusting or adding as you see fit.

You've made adjustments to Flutter's description and how it interacts, and have also made adjustments to the skill leveling. To that degree, I know 4% attack speed every level isn't all that big, but you might consider a couple things here.

Your heal, as stated, is nice for some sustain, but isn't a huge effect heal, so you CAN consider delaying leveling it. In the early game when laning with a Support, it's GREAT for mana sustain, and you should be abusing that by making sure your Support constantly picks it up...if nothing else, you'll get some additional mana each time you use it, and the small heals can add up and allow your Support to be a bit more aggressive in chipping at the enemies' health...even if you're not going to be playing aggressively, doing as much as you can to force them to use up their potions is going to help your own laning.

But later, that heal might be best delayed. Your main priority is always going to be Heart Bomb first, and I don't see why you wouldn't prioritize getting that to max ASAP, just to help with wave clear and stronger poke. You COULD consider getting HB to max rank by level 10. And at that point, you might then consider your next priority to be Flutter. As you're getting deeper into your build, you're getting past Jotunn's Wrath and moving into The Crusher, and then into Poisoned Star (at least in your full suggested build). These are items with attack speed, which means you'll get enhanced DPS...why not further help that along by leveling Flutter alongside it? In this case, it becomes your next priority, instead of the heal...and you can have that maxed by level 14 or 15 depending on how you level your ult and heal earlier. By the time you finish, your DPS will have received a significant boost overall from skill and items, allowing you to more aggressively jump into fights and contribute more damage overall.

Adjusted Skill Leveling

If you do consider this, then your skill leveling might look something like this:

In that sequence, you delay Flutter til 4...this is risky, and if you so choose, you can level it 3rd, and delay Heart Bomb's 2nd level until 4, but the idea here is if you're doing okay and you've got an attentive Support that can peel well if needed, the earlier HB leveling will help your wave clear.

Another thing you could consider, not that I recommend one way or the other, would be to delay your ult leveling...yes, it provides some good damage overall, but the possibility of it connecting is somewhat dependent on how the enemy builds, how well you place, and if they get Purification Beads. If they beads out, it's still good use because you've made them burn it, but you lose out on the damage. Thus, you could delay leveling at the standard times and get your Flutter online a bit quicker. This may not be all that important in your example build, but this also opens up alternative build path considerations...

So...alternative build paths...Trans in your build setup again is great, and is fine as your main build (though when focusing so much on CDR and power, you MIGHT want to back out of crit and get more pen instead, possibly even via Titan's Bane), but you might also consider 2 other paths...Trans w/ Qin's (I know you list as a replacement item, but you don't really say what you might use to replace it), and Devo's with crit.

In the Trans w/ Qin's case, you'd probably want to focus more on basics...Trans as a start for strong clear, then moving solidly into a basic attack focus centered on getting the most out of Qin's as possible...you'd then also probably want to build in some actual lifesteal... Asi as a 3rd item (optional), The Executioner, Qin's Sais, and a final situational item.

In the Devo's w/ crit case, standard stuff...Devo's, Ninja, Exe, 1st crit (WD or Rage usually), DB, then situational item. Again, this is a viable build because, although not the strongest AS steroid, it's a constant passive one that you don't have to activate like Artemis or Rama...so he can do well with his basics.

Anyway, those are further thoughts for you to explore if you so desire.

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